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Saturday, 2nd August, North-west Side of Table Land.

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Category: John McDouall Stuart - Sixth Expedition

Written by John McDouall Stuart

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Saturday, 2nd August, North-west Side of Table Land. Proceeded up the creek to the gorge--where we came down from the top of the table land; ascended it, which they all did well except one horse, which refused to go up, and caused me to lose more than an hour with him; we had to take all the things off him and carry them to the top on our backs. We had to zigzag him backwards and forwards, and got him to the top after a deal of trouble. Crossing on the top we met with a large fire about two miles broad. The wind not being strong, nor the grass very long, we got through it well, but my weak eyes suffered much from the smoke coming from the burning logs, trees, and grass. The atmosphere very hot and almost overpowering before we got through it. One of the horses knocked up, but we were able to get him on to the running creek connected with Kekwick's large group of springs, where I am obliged to camp and try to recover him. This is the first one of the (symbol crescent over C) horses that has failed; but he has not had fair play, through the negligence of the man who had him. He has for some time been carrying a load of one hundred and forty pounds without my knowledge, far more than he was able to carry. He has been a good horse, and has done a deal of work. There are a number of native tracks both up and down our tracks. One of the natives seems to have a very large foot. Wind, south.

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